PAULIE MALIGNAGGI vs LOVEMORE NDOU

Rematches often do not go the same way as the original, but it is difficult to see how Saturday’s return bout between Paulie Malignaggi and Lovemore Ndou can be too different from their first fight last June.

Malignaggi simply seems to have the speed and style that will always give Ndou problems. In the first meeting, at the Mohegan Sun, Ndou spent most of the 12 rounds walking in and eating jabs. I believe that the only reason they are meeting again is because Ndou had a rematch agreement as a condition for risking his IBF junior welter belt in last June's voluntary defence

The whole purpose of the fight taking place in Manchester, on the same show as Ricky Hatton’s fight with Juan Lazcano, is to set the scene for a big fight between Hatton and Malignaggi later in the year.

Last time, Ndou says he couldn’t fight the way he had planned because the referee wouldn’t let him work on the inside. It looked to me, though, as if Malignaggi’s rapid moves and steady use of the jab — plus some nice hooks and right hands — had Ndou bothered and bewildered. There was even a flash knockdown in the ninth round when an off-balance Ndou was tipped over by a right hand. Lennox Lewis, commentating for HBO, called it an “unbelievable performance” by Malignaggi, who was the betting favourite but had not been expected to win every round, which he did on two judges’ cards.

The 36-year-old Ndou might get some encouragement, though, from Malignaggi’s difficult title defence in January, when the flashy Brooklyn stylist had his hands full in winning a unanimous decision over Herman Ngoudjo.

Malignaggi, 27, looked quite hittable in that fight and he was never allowed to dominate proceedings. Afterwards, Malignaggi said he had underestimated Ngoudjo, and his performance indicated this might have been the case — he just didn’t seem to have the intensity and focus that he did when he won the title from Ndou.

I am expecting Malignaggi to be sharper and slicker on Saturday than he was when he struggled against Ngoudjo. He will want to be at his best in front of the 55,000 crowd and TV viewing audience (Versus at 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT in the U.S.) to whet the fans’ appetite for the projected match with Hatton.

Ndou, meanwhile, knows that if he loses it will almost certainly be the last time he fights for a world title. He now knows exactly what he has to deal with in Malignaggi and he might be able to do better than last time, although it is hard to see exactly how he can make the adjustments necessary to win the fight. Ndou is tough and he is always in terrific condition, but the Australian-domiciled South African is basically a straight-ahead pressure fighter and last June his style looked made to measure for Malignaggi.

That is not to say that this will be an easy fight for the “Magic Man”, because Malignaggi will have to keep jabbing, moving and letting his hands go in order to stay ahead of Ndou, who will be constantly boring in and looking to get his punches off when he gets in range.

It will be interesting to see what the Manchester fans make of Malignaggi. His cocky manner, plus the fact that he is a potential opponent for Hatton, is likely to see him getting at best a mixed reception. If Malignaggi boxes as well as he is capable of boxing, though, he can win the crowd over.

I am expecting a very determined, even fanatical, fight from Ndou and I will be surprised if Malignaggi beats him as easily as he did in June. If styles really do make fights, though, Malignaggi’s style will always beat that of Ndou. The obvious forecast is for Malignaggi to box his way to a decision win, and I will stick with the obvious — although I do have a feeling that the fight will be harder for him than widely expected.

RESULT: Malignaggi split decison — dreadful performance by Paulie, whose hair extensions fly around while he also breaks his right hand.